District judges sentence Morris and Porter

Published 11:34 am, Saturday, April 11, 2015

A Petersburg woman, who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $400,000 from a grain company has been sentenced to probation and will pay restitution.

On Tuesday, 64th District Court Judge Robert Kinkaid ruled that Malanie Layton Morris, would serve 10 years' probation and would be forced to pay a restitution of $437,172.48 according to court documents.

Morris faced 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to theft of property over $200,000.

According to reports, Morris stole more than $400,000 over the span of a few years while working at Petersburg Co-op Grain Company.

Morris will now pay back the Petersburg grain company the stolen funds.

The 10-year prison sentence was suspended and the court ordered that Morris be place on community supervision as an opportunity to pay back the debt.

Also in this week's criminal disposition report, Judge Kregg Hukill of the 242nd District Court ruled that Tava Ann Porter, would serve five years of deferred probation and pay a fine of $1,000 after being convicted of misapplication of fiduciary property.

If Porter completes the probation period without issue, the third degree felony charge will be removed from her record. Violation of probation could result in imprisonment for the charge.

Porter was the former owner of the Legends of the Plains nursing home in Hale Center. Porter was charged in connection with misapplication of fiduciary funds at the Hale Center nursing home. Porter faced similar charges in Lamb County, where she also owned a nursing home.